Outboard motor



May 31, 1938. w. L. Klssll.'v 2,118,928

OUTBOARD MOTOR Filed Sept. 21, 1956 2 Sheets-Shea?l 2 Zia/enfer Patented May 31, 1938 UNITED STATES :PATENT OFFICE oU'rBoARD Moron Hartford, Wis.

Application September 21, 1936, Serial No. 101,764

3 Claims.

The invention relates generally to outboard motors and more particularly to an outboard motor of the type having a bracket adapted to be attached to a boat with the motor as a whole turnable in said bracket for steering purposes.

The general object of the invention is to provide an outboard motor of the foregoing type which is supported in its attaching bracket in a manner causing the motor to tend to remain in or 1,; to return to its centered or straight-ahead position whenever the operator releases it from his control, whereby the boat will tend to move in a straight course.

More specifically, it is an object to provide an 15 outboard motor supported in its attaching bracket in such a manner that gravity is utilized to cause the motor to return to its straight-ahead position after being turned to one side in steering and to overcome any tendency cf the torque of the motor to cause it to turn away from its forward or straight-ahead position.

It is also an object to provide supporting means for centering the motor, which is of simple but effective construction and does not involve structure requiring any particular care or maintenance.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an outboard motor embodying the features of the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing a preferred form of centering the :5 motor.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 2 but showing a modified form.

As mentioned above, the invention is embodied in an outboard motor of the type having a boat attaching bracket and a depending drive shaft casing turnable to either side of the straightahead or centered position for steering. The preferred embodiment of the invention comprises generally a motor of this type having means whereby the motor is caused to rise when the drive shaft casing is turned to either side of its centered or straight-ahead position whereby the weight of the motor proper tends to oppose such a rise and thereby causes the drive shaft casing to tend to remain in or to return to its straightahead position should it be turned to either side in steering.

As shown in the drawings, the outboard motor comprises a motor proper supported by a bracket iii adapted to be clamped onto the stern of a boat. The motor proper includes a motor unit, indicated generally at Il, having a tubular drive shaft casing l2 depending therefrom and enclosing a drive shaft l5 having a connection with a propeller I5. In the structure illustrated in the drawings, the drive shaft casing l2 is telescoped over a sleeve i3 projecting downwardly from the crank case of the motor unit il. The bracket lil isprovided with a` bearing i4 in which-the drive shaft casing l2 is journaled to permit turning thereof to either side of the straight-ahead or centered position for steering.

It is desirable that, after the motor-has been manually turned to-one side orthe other in steering, it be automatically returned to the straightahead position so that the boat to which it is attached will then move in a straight course. It is also of great convenience to the operator to be able not to have to keep his hand on the steering lever of the motor in order to maintain a straight course. In motors of this character, there is a tendency, due to the torque of the-motor, for it to turn to one side of the centered position. It is therefore desirable to overcome or compensate for such tendency so that a straight course will be maintained; f

To these ends, the preferred embodiment includes means for causing the-motor to rise in the bracket when turned to either side of the centered'position. Said means comprises a pair of elements, one relatively fixed and the other movable with the motor in turning, shaped to-cause the motor to rise. inthe nature of a cam and follower.

In the preferred form shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the elements comprise a pair of contacting rings or races 2Q and 2l, the ring 2D being secured to the upper end of the bracket bearing la and the ring 2| being secured to the lower face of a flange 22 formed integrallyon the crank case sleeve I3.A The rings thus serve to support the motor on the bracket. Preferably the ringsare detachably securedto the bearing t4 and the flange 22 as by screws 23.

The contacting faces of the rings 20 and 2| are `shaped so that, upon relative rotation therebetween, the motor is caused to rise. Preferably the contacting faces are complemental so that they bear against each other for their entire facial area when the motor is centered. To lift the motor, each ring has a. pair of high points 21 and a pair of depressions 28, those of each pair being diametrically opposite each other, so that when Preferably said elements are the motor is turned the two rings are in contact at diametrically opposite points and rmly support the motor. With this arrangement of high points and depressions, the maximum lift of the motor is attained when the motor is turned through 90 in either direction from its centered position.

To prevent the motor from turning beyond its position of maximum lift, stop means is provided to limit the turning movement to approximately 90 in either direction. As shown herein, said stop means comprises an upstanding lug preferably integral with the bearing I4 at the front thereof. Cooperating with the lug 25 is a pair of lugs 26 rigid with the flange 22 of the crank case sleeve I3 and located at opposite sides thereof. The lugs 2S are adapted to abut the xed lug 2,5 when the motor is turned `to one side or the other, thereby limiting the movement of the motor to about 90 on either side of its centered position.

In the modied form shown in Fig. 4, where the motor is shown at one of its positions of maximum lift, the lifting means comprises a cam element and a roller element with the elements respectively secured to the bearing I4 and the crank case sleeve I3. The cam element preferably comprises a ring 3D secured to the bearing I4 as by a screw 3|, and having a pair of diametrically opposite high points 32 and a pair of diametrically opposite depressions 33. In the present instance, two rollers 34 bear on the: ring 3U and are located at diametrically opposite points. The rollers are preferably mounted on pins 35 extending radially of the crank case sleeve I3 and supported at their inner ends by said sleeve and at their outer ends by arms 36 extending downwardly from the upper part of the crank case sleeve I3.

To limit the turning movement of the motor so that it cannot be turned beyond its points of maximum lift, the stop lug 25 on the bearing I4 extends upwardly into the path of the rollersupporting arms 36. Abutment of the arms 36 with the stop lug 25 thus limits the turning movement of the motor.

In operation, when the motor is manually turned to one side or the other to steer the boat, the, ring 2l turns out of its complemental arrangement with the ring 20, and because of the high and low points onthe contacting faces of the rings, the motor is lifted. When the operator releases the motor, the weight thereof causes it to turn back to its centered position, the low point of the upper ring 2I sliding down the inclined face of the lower ring 20 until the two rings assume their complemental arrangement. With such arrangement, the torque of the motor is insuflicient to cause the motor toturn to one side, since the torque is not great enough to force the upper ring 2l up the incline of the lower ring and lift the weight of the motor. The lugs 26, when they move into abutment with the xed lug '25, prevent the motor from turning beyond its points of maximum lift so that it always will return to its centered position.

In the modified form shown in Fig. 4, the rollers 34, which are positioned at the low points 33 of the cam 30 when the motor is centered, are forced to roll up the inclined face of the cam toward the high points 32 when the motor is turned. Upon release by the operator, the rollers readily roll down the inclined face of the cam and reassume their position at the low points 33 to hold the motor centered. The weight of the motor is suflicient to prevent the torque from forcing the rollers up the inclined face. The roller-supporting arms 36 abutting the stop lug 25 comprise means to prevent the rollers from moving beyond the high points 32, so that the motor will always be in a position from where it may return to its centered position.

From the above description, it will be apparent that I have provided a motor which will tend to remain in its centered position and resist the tendency of the torque of the motor to turn it to one side. In steering, when the motor is turned to either side, it tends to return to its centered position, under the influence of gravity, so that, as soon as the operator releases it, it automatically returns. The centering means is simple in construction and does not involve any structure demanding care or attention.

I claim as my invention:

l. An outboard moto-r comprising, in combination, a motor unit, a drive shaft casing depending from said motor unit, a boat-attaching bracket having a bearing in which said drive shaft casing is `iournaled for steering, acam element and a coacting roller element, said elements being respectively associated with said bearing and said drive shaft casing, said cam element being shaped to cause the drive shaft casing to rise when turned to either side of its straight-ahead position.

2; An outboard motor comprising, in combination, a motor unit, a drive shaft casing depending from said motor unit, a boat-attaching bracket having a bearing in which said drive shaft casing is journaled for steering, an annular cam rigid with said bearing, and a pair of rollers in contact with said cam and supporting said drive shaft casing and. motor unit, said cam being shaped to cause the drive shaft casing to rise when turned to either side of the straightahead position.

3. An outboard motor comprising, in combination, a motor unit, a drive shaft casing depending from said motor unit, a boat-attaching bracket having a bearing in which said drive shaft casing is journaled for steering, an annular cam rigid with said bearing and having a pair of diametrically opposite high points and a pair of diametrically opposite depressions, a pair of rollers supporting said drive shaft casing and rolling on said cam to lift said drive shaft casing when turned to either side of the straight-ahead position, and a stop member on said bearing adapted to limit the turning movement of the drive shaft casing so that the rollers will not pass beyond the high points on the cam.

WIILIAM L. KISSEL. 

